Finding the Lost by Shannon K. Butcher



After another search through my TBR list I found Finding the Lost Book 2 in the Sentinel Series by Shannon K. Butcher (SB). This is my first time reading this author and I can't say that I wasn't impressed.SB created such a fantastic world that I could feel every bit of tension, action and pain involved. I give her a ten just for injecting the correct amount of angst and unrequited love between the characters.

Andra is not your quintessential paranormal romance heroine, small and in dire need of protection. Her character does in fact need protection, but Andra is capable on her own. She's tall, buff, independent and possesses a drive to destroy all monsters like the ones that destroyed her family. The monsters responsible, the Synestryn, attacked her younger sister as well as murdering her mother and baby sister. Because of this Andra has dedicated her adult life to searching out and rescuing missing children.

The book begins with Andra in the process of rescuing a missing 6 year old boy. Little does she know that Paul, a Theronai warrior (a.k.a a Sentinel) charged with protecting humans, has been searching for her. He is searching for her because she belongs to a bloodline of women that have the ability to absorb the power stored inside of Theronai warriors. This is a fatal illness for the Theronai because if they do not find their chosen mate the power inside them which makes them so powerful will inadvertently kill them if it doesn't find an outlet. Paul’s character is first introduced in an extreme amount of never-ending agony and only Andra can relieve it.

Talk about down to the wire. Will Andra accept him in time to save his life? If she's a potential mate does that mean Nika is? The more I read the more questions I had and the more helpless I felt for the Theronai. All of these warriors are fighting for the good of humanity and they are each on the brink of death unless they find their mates. Andra’s little sister Nika, the one attacked by the Synestryn, was psychically injured by this attack and Andra hopes by absorbing Paul's power she will be able to save Nika. And as such I wasn't surprised when she so readily accepted Paul's power. She hopes that by absorbing enough of his power she’ll be able to heal her sister.

If you're looking for something that is non-stop in your face-doesn't-give-you-a-moment-to-calm-down-action then look no further. There's major tension and suspense between Paul and Andra, there's suspense with the Nika issue, there's suspense within the Sentinels and the issue of limited mates...there’s a veritable smorgasbord of tension. I feel the best plot devices this series possesses are the Sentinel tattoos and how quickly the Sentinels can feel relief when they meet their mates. Each Sentinel has a tattoo of a tree complete with leaves and the closer they approach a fatal build up power the more leaves fall from their tree. In essence the warriors with the least amount of leaves are the warriors whom are at Death's door. Once a Sentinel finds his mate and they touch, the pain created by the power build up dissipates in preparation for the transference of this power.

There is so much to love and appreciate in this series. Though, I started with book two I do plan to go back and read book one. So before anyone asks I wasn’t lost by jumping in the pool at two. There was enough exposition so that I was able to catch on quickly. There was also enough character development that the reader will be ensnared enough to want to read the rest of the series.



In Bed with a Highlander by Maya Banks



To be completely honest I have read Maya Banks before, but was never really impressed. I definitely changed my opinion after reading In Bed with a Highlander.

IBwaH is the story of Mairin Stuart and Ewan McCabe. Mairin is the niece of the King of Scotland and has been living her life in hiding. This all comes to an end when she is stolen from the convent she lived in and held hostage for her dowry and holdings. She escapes with a help of a young boy Crispen, only to be rescued by the clan McCabe.

The first thing I noticed was the similarities between this book and Julie Garwood’s “Ransom.” I can’t go into too many details without posting a spoiler, but suffice to say I thought the two were very similar. Not carbon copies, but pretty similar.

I loved Mairin’s sassiness and her determination to not back down. She was brave without being foolhardy. I fell in love with her character as soon as she put herself between harm’s way and Crispen. When she was introduced to the clan I appreciated how fast the clan did NOT warm up to her. In many stories the heroine is introduced to her new or future family and is opened with loving arms regardless of her connection to the villain of the story. For this book, that was not the case and I appreciated that realism. A group of people struggling to survive shouldn’t be so accepting of someone they do not know. Another piece of realism I appreciated and applauded was how fast Laird McCabe presented himself as a suitor for Mairin. Once it became known who she was and her importance, Laird McCabe became as ruthless and as opportunistic as expected. I didn’t want his character to beat around the bush and act as if he didn’t really need Mairin and the resources she provided when he actually did. The best thing about Ewan’s character was his honesty. He was always truthful even when it could better aid his cause. The villain was everything you expect him to be. Sneaky, conniving, dishonest and cowardly. The best thing about this book is that every problem did not have an easy solution.  The discord between McCabe and the villain Laird Cameron and Mairin’s part in it all was not easily solved by the King of Scotland. In fact, the “King’s” involvement only adds to the struggle between these three.

I enjoyed this book and plan to continue the series to see how Ewan’s brothers end up.

*Sorry for the short review, but life currently has its claws in me.

Valiant by Laurann Dohner

I cannot gush and praise this book enough. I started it last night and didn’t stop until I finished, which wasn’t until after midnight. Many already know I am a huge fan of Laurann Dohner and this new book in the New Species series is only fueling my addiction. I was so glad it was two hundred plus pages.

This is the story of Valiant a New Species member who takes more after his animal DNA, physically and personably. Valiant has a reputation as the most dangerous and most feared New Species. Tammy works for a catering service and was given bad directions and ends up in Valiant’s territory.

I feel like a broken record, but I’ll say it until it no longer applies. LD knows how to keep you invested in a book. Halfway through the book I noticed my back was hurting and I realized I had been hunched over my laptop for almost two hours. It was that good. When Valiant’s character was introduced in a previous book I wasn’t sure if I’d be interested in reading his story because his animal side was so much more prevalent than Fury’s or Slade’s, but I am glad I took the chance. I knew from previous experience to expect murder, sex, treachery and romance. I wasn’t disappointed. I was also happy to see cameos of previous characters. I also knew to expect at least two run-ins with the human terrorist organizations that are against the existence of the New Species.

I loved how intense LD made Valiant. He was uber protective, uber possessive, uber sexual. He was just uber in all ways. Be still my heart. If you want an Alpha, Valiant is that and more.  I knew that New Species were an intense breed, but Valiant brought new meaning to that term. He felt everything so much more intensely than the average man so when he finally fell for Tammy he fell completely. LD has a reputation for writing nail biters and this release didn’t deviate from the norm. The love scenes were explosive and enough to make anyone blush. These two had such intense passion and chemistry that it literally jumped off of the page. And just when you think the two are going to get a HEA something else happens and they’re back in the fray.

Definitely a must read.

Supernatural Anthology by Jacquelyn Frank, G.A. Aiken, Larissa Ione, Alexandra Ivy

I’m not familiar with Larissa Ione as an author, but after reading Vampire Fight Club I love her. This whole world of vampire fight clubs with different creatures is awesome. I already love shifter books and for her to create a shifter fight club I was all in. I wasn’t too fond of the Nate character from the start, but I understood and sympathized with his plight. Alive so long that the desire for revenge had faded into dust. I was rooting for Lena from the get go. She was a good balance of honest feistiness to Nate’s icy emptiness. She came from a caring background minus the amount of violence that was natural to Nate’s world. I was definitely on board for the destruction of the villain, Fade, whom was responsible for Nate and Lena’s predicaments.  This story was nonstop action and heat. The fact that Lena was on borrowed time was very sad, but I knew that she would find some way to survive at the end of the book. I loved the fact that when the plot had been sorted out there were still enough sideline plot devices to push the story along for a couple of pages.

Note: Don’t need to have read the Demonica series to be able to follow along.

Once again I am not familiar with the writing of Alexandra Ivy (AI), but I know for a fact some of her books are in my TBR pile. The first thing I noticed was that the vampire clan chief of Great Britain put me in mind of Victor from the Underworld movie series whom was also a clan chief of vampires. Though, the names are the only similarities. The main male character Uriel has a definite backbone and isn’t what I would call a ‘yes man.’ He questions things, requests information and doesn’t just follow orders. I love bread crumbs of information and the teasing tidbit behind Uriel’s reluctance to rescue Laylah’s mother Kata had me chomping at the bit. AI drew me in with a small morsel and I was hooked. His history with the Jinn fired up enough curiosity inside of me that I wanted to finish this story. Curiosity quickly morphed into obsession when the triangle between Kata, her evil twin Marika and Uriel unfolded. I was a little dissatisfied with how quickly Uriel and Kata gave in to their mutual attraction. I understand that the timeline in a novella is shorter so they had to move quickly, but it was still a little fast and in your face. Though, I did enjoy it. I was glad there was a HEA for Kata based on her soul being tied to her evil twin. I’m very tempted to read the rest of the series.

I have read some of the Nightwalker series books and because of this I was comfortable following the story of Kane and his mate.  In my honest opinion I feel that it’s necessary to have some previous exposure to the Nightwalker books. Though, you can read this story and be able to follow along I would strongly suggest having a familiarity with the Nightwalker series. Even though Kane is over five decades old I still had a hard time seeing him as an adult. There was particular stress put on the fact that in his culture he was considered an adolescent until his next birthday so in my mind I continually saw a teenager. However, that picture quickly morphed into something else once he and his mate Corinne get hot and heavy. Due to the length of this story I appreciate that there wasn’t too much of an involved plot. It was strictly surrounding Kane and Corinne. There weren’t any outside villains nor were there any heinous plots against them.  It wasn’t my favorite in the anthology, but it is still worth reading.

I am intimately acquainted with Shelly Laurenston as an author. (I faithfully stalk her Pride and Pack series books) I have enjoyed her G.A.Aiken books and this one was no different. If you’re familiar with her Dragon series then the characters in this novella will ring familiar, but if not you’ll still enjoy the story. Ghleanna is the captain of the guard charged with protecting Bram who is a court negotiator. His job is to set up a peace treaty between the Desert Dragons and his Queen. I loved the spin on the traditional heroine and hero i.e. the woman Ghleanna is the hero. I enjoyed how unpredictable this story was. It wasn’t solely about Bram chasing Ghleanna. Yes, there were limited love scenes, but the story is strong enough that it didn’t matter.

Storm's Heart by Thea Harrison

Storm’s Heart is the story of Niniane (Tricks) and Tiago (Dr. Death). Tiago is a member of the King of Wyr’s security team and is a powerful ancient in his own right. Niniane aka Tricks is the former head of PR for the King of Wyr whom also happens to be the sole heir to the Dark Fae kingdom. Niniane has been in hiding ever since she was 18 when her family was assassinated. After the death of the former King of the Dark Fae, Niniane must return to claim the throne as the rightful heir. Tiago travels with her as protection and along the way their attraction builds until the only thing that will satisfy it – is a mating.

My most favorite thing about this book is the humor and the WTF situations the characters found themselves in. Case in point, the newsfeed of Niniane kicking the crap out of her family as they attacked her. This may not sound funny, but the way the author set it up the result was ultimate comedy. The second best thing in this book is Niniane herself. Her character is so likeable and so easy to identify with. There were so many times in the book where I would think to myself I couldn’t handle this and I would just run away. Niniane had the same thoughts. It made her so much more believable and realistic. Piggybacking off the first in the series I knew to be prepared for some brutal, straightforward honesty. So far that is a consistent character trait with these ancient Wyr men. They are honest to the point of cruelty, but also no nonsense and men of action. Tiago follows closely behind his Wyr king in these characteristics.

One piece of information I think it’s important to understand is that when thinking of the Wyr you need to recognize that they are all ancient beings and are not subservient to Dragos. My interpretation is that Dragos is just the most organized and the most willing to lead.

I knew from Niniane’s introduction in the first book of the series that when she did decide to claim her birthright there would be a great deal of espionage and court backstabbing involved. I felt for Niniane not knowing who she could and couldn’t trust, but I was glad to see that she had a discerning eye for possible enemies. The fact that the only people she could trust were the Wyr, but she couldn’t rely on them to help her was so frustrating. The politics is easy to understand, every race minds their own business, but I still felt bad for Niniane’s situation. So when Tiago made himself her chief of security I did a fist pump in satisfaction. Once the characters were in place I couldn’t wait until the sexual sparks flew. And did they fly? I loved how Tiago cut right through Niniane’s manipulative sexpot persona. Once they pledged themselves to each other they were like the dynamic duo. He watched her back while she cut through all the bureaucratic bullsh*t, but at the same time he was able to lend his experience at spotting dishonesty and recognizing deceptive people.

As much as I enjoyed the entire book the end was the ultimate for me. The reader is already rooting for Tiago/Niniane and when they overcome it all, but not without casualties L , you can’t help but take a much needed breath. Can’t wait to read the next one.

Fury by Laurann Dohner

There is something that needs to be addressed before the review. This series is similar to a present series by another famous author. If I didn’t address this issue then I’d be showing my bias. Yes, there are similarities (the fact that their DNA is spliced with animals and a few other things), but overall both series stand alone. 

One thing that is a constant with Laurann Dohner (LD) is her ability to immerse and pull you into the story in the first chapter. I was so horrified and so disgusted by how the New Species were being treated that I was automatically a fan and rooting for their freedom. I knew she could write action, build suspense, and was an expert (wd?) with love scenes, but after reading this new book my level of appreciation for her has skyrocketed.

This book is full of tension, sexual and plot wise. Neither Fury nor Ellie bother to hide the attraction they have for each other. It’s a build up to see who will give in first and what will push them both over the edge. The outer tension is the world’s reaction to the creation and existence of this New Species group. Naturally, there are the pro-New Species and there are the factions that are pro-Human.   

Besides the constant back-stabbing and murder plots, it was fascinating to see how the New Species were learning to exist outside of the labs. For example, the women were learning how to do everyday tasks as simple as vacuuming and using a microwave. It’s amazing how much we take for granted the doing of simple tasks. I was also interested in the steps New Species was taking to establish their own sovereignty. What I always enjoy about LD’s writing is that she keeps me on my toes. At the point where I get complacent and feel like I relax into the story she throws in a scene or conversation that literally makes you sit up and go WTF. Case in point, the part of the book where pro-Human fanatics broke into the New Species compound and were headed straight for the women’s dormitory. I actually sat up in my seat and reread the scene twice to make sure I got every dangerous description and detail.

As per usual, Laurann Dohner inserts characters that will have their own stories in the series. I honestly couldn’t find one whose story I was not interested in. I am extremely interested in reading the stories of the smaller female New Species. I did notice that the DNA the New Species were mixed with didn’t seem to be that important. It was mentioned that Fury was mixed with canine, but that is as far as it went. There wasn’t too much exposition into the DNA mixing. Maybe more will be explained in a later book.  

The antagonists in this book aren’t relegated to one person, but a group of people. There are adversary’s coming at the New Species colony from within as well as from the outside world, which opens up the book to the realm of espionage. And because there are so many positions inside the colony i.e. doctors, security, PR, etc. it’s difficult to pinpoint who the ‘bad guy’ is. An excellent plot device. I know I’ll love this series as much as I do the others.

Kendra Leigh Castle "Dark Awakening"

Dark Awakening is the story of Tynan MacGillivray and Lily Quinn. Tynan is a hunter for the Ptolemy clan in search of a seer that will help them solve murders that are happening inside of their clan.

Going into this book I had preconceived notions that Tynan would be this powerful shifter whom was greatly respected by his clan. Not. This is the first thing I enjoyed about this book. The author instantly snatches you out of normalcy. She introduces you to a male character that is not the biggest and baddest around. I am not saying Tynan isn’t tough and a force to be reckoned with, because he is, but most readers are used to the main male character being someone of importance within the core group. In this case Tynan is the lowest of the low, in Ptolemy clan pecking order that is. This, in itself, was enough to put me on Tynan’s side.

[Lily Quinn starts off as a regular human that may be of importance to the Ptolemy Queen who sends Tynan to find and return with her.]

The book begins with a definition of the different clans and bloodlines. After seeing this I was a bit apprehensive that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the clans without having to flip back and forth. After the fact I can say I only had to flip to the front twice. To further support this idea of clans Kendra Leigh Castle (KLC) inserted the concept of sigils. These were tattoos that each clan member that identified which bloodline they belonged to.  In the case of Tynan he possessed one that marked him as a low caste and intertwined with this one was the Ptolemy symbol, which identified him as a servant of that clan. It was very reminiscent of Blade, but instead of only familiars wearing them everyone had one.

I enjoyed the character make up of Lily as well as Tynan. There were aspects of Tynan that were hard to stomach, but further supported how loyal his character was. i.e. his blind devotion to Queen Arinsoe. I loved Lily because she wasn’t content to be led around by Tynan and blindly accept his assistance. She wanted to know where she was going, why she was in danger, etc. It took over two pages for Tynan to talk her into accepting his help. To me her reactions and responses were extremely realistic. I found myself thinking that is exactly what I’d say.

In my opinion, the most important plot device the author employed was the use of boogeyman characters we are already familiar with i.e., Dracula, Nero, and Lilith. She stayed true to their reputations except for Lilith. (Going any further would require me to put up a Spoiler alert).

Although, it’s going to sound cliché my favorite part of the book was the end. Things fell into place exactly as I hoped. Throughout all of the running and trying to discover the truth of Lily’s background, KLC found time to insert supporting characters that I hope will have their own stories. The last thing I will mention is the subject of the love scenes. There aren’t a lot of love scenes, but at the point in your reading when you notice there hasn’t been one it happens. I give this a high rating just for the world KLC created.